Closing and locking mechanism for fence gates



W. HOUSER CLOSING AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FENCE GATES Filed July 27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwuentoz w. HOUSER CLOSING AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FENCE GATES Filed July 27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet z I 71 v I i qwi lu'wlllllllll" euro: 1 W1 Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES team PATENT WILLIAM HOUSER, O'F OBERLIN, KANSAS.-

Application filed J'uly 27,-1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM I-IoUsnR, citizen of the United States, residing at Oberlin, in the county of Decatur and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closing and Looking Mechanism for Fence Gates, of which the following is a specification.

In carrying out the present invention it is my purpose to provide a highly novel andeffective closing and locking mechanism for the gates of fences, the primary object thereconstruction and which will operate efficiently under all conditions.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of a closing mechanism for gates whereby the same may be opened either inwardly or outwardly of the fence, the said means serving to normally return the gate to its closed position even thoughthe same be upon the inner or outer side of the fence.

' An additional object is the provision of such a locking mechanism for fence gates wherein the same will automatically lock the gate in a closed position no matter from which direction the gate is swinging.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view as the nature of the invention is better understood from the accompanying specifications and drawing, same comprises the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate equipped with my novel closing and locking mechanism,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figures 4 and 5 are detailed perspectives of the elements comprised in my novel look ing mechanism.

Now having particular reference to the drawings, 5 indlcates a gate of any preferable design supported in position between a pair of conventional type fence posts 6. One

side of said gate 5 carries a pair of spaced eye-bolts 7 that are positioned between and in alinement with eyed ends of other eyebolts 8 that are anchored within the adja- Serial No. 654,116.

cent post 6. Extending through said eye-- bolts is a pivot rod 9 that provides a pivotal connectionbetween said gate 5 and the adjacent post 6.

Surrounding this pivot rod 9 at its upper and lower ends are helical springs 10, which are'wound in opposite directions. The opposite ends of the saidsprings engage the gate 5 and said post 6 respectively as shown whereby a swinging movement of the gate platell formed at its opposite ends with openings whereby the same may be secured to the fence post 6 thru the medium of wood screws 15. Upon the upper and lower edges of said plate ll'and being of a length lesser than the length of the plate are inwardlyv I extending flanges 16 that are formed adjacent their oppositeends with openings for purposes presently to be set forth, these flanges being turned inwardly at 17 at their opposite ends.

Each of' the latch elements 12 and 13 comprises a body portion 18 in the form of an oblong plate the upper and lower edges thereof being formed with inwardly extending flanges 19 that are beveled toward their inner ends, i. e., the outer edges of these plates are inclined as more clearly shown in Figure 5. The inner edges of said flanges 19 terminate short of the inner end of the body portion 18, these flanges being formed with aligned openings 20. The distance between the flanges 19 of each of-the latchelements is lesser than the distance between the flanges 16 of the keeper plate 14, whereby said flanges may be positioned within the flanges 16 of the keeper element. to'be pivotally secured therebetween as at 21 through the medium of a pivot pinextending through the alined openings in the flanges 16 of the keeper as well as the openlijngs 20 in the flanges 19 of the latch memers.

These latch elements 12 and 18 are normally maintained in an outwards'wung .position as per'Figure 3 through the-medium of an expansion spring 22 which is positioned as shown in said Figure 3.

The adjacent side of the gate 5 carries an upwardly extending springrod-2t which I rod is anchored at its lower end within the gate frame and extends upwardly and then inwardly through an opening within the upper corner of the gateand then passes jo'utwardly'through a slot-inthe top frame bar 'of thegate; this end of the rod being" formed with a knob head 25 whereby the said rod may be mored i-nwardly.

In View of ethe -above description it' will at once be apparent that when the'gate 5 is maintained in a closedposition through the unwinding ofthe springwill move the same to-its normally closedposition and the springjrod 24 contacting with the adjacent "one of the latch plates 12 and 13' will force this particular latch plate to swing inwardly under the infiuen'oe of'tlie' spring22 and consequently strike the other of the latch plates for preventing a further swinging movement of thegate.

Even though I have hereingsetto'rth the most practical embodiment of the present invention with which I am now familiar it isneverthelessto be understoodthat minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the in- N'QlltlOll. as cla med Havin thus described in invention what I cl'aimhas new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is A gatelat-ch comprising a plate adapted to be applied transversely across a support at a gate opening, saidplate being provided at its opposite longitudinal edges with paralleliitianges, these flanges having angu ilarly -disposed extremities bent inwardly over the body of the plate; latch members comprising plates having plain intermediate body portions provided at their longitudinally disposed edges-with parallel wings.

the wings being pivoted to the flanges of the first mentioned plate at 'points between the ends otthe body portions of "the second n'i entioned plates whereby the end portions 01 the second mentloned vplates are disposed transversely acrossthe edges of the extremities of the flanges of the'first mentioned plates and the'wings ofthe second mentionedplates are received bet-ween the flanges of the'firstwmentioned plates and springs interposed bet-ween the intermediate portion of the first mentioned plate and the free end portions of the second mentioned plateand housed within the flanges and wings.

In testimony 'whereof I atfix my'signature.

'- WILLIAM HQUSER 

